At our facility, summer practice is between 12-15 hours a week. Does that mean no camps to explore other interests? Does that leave time for lazy summer days? Does competitive gymnastics mean giving up those things?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MY DS 10 took off 6 weeks in the summer for travel and sleep away camp and he's fine. He started up last week and he is happy to be back. No big deal at all.

At my daughter's facility he'd have to catch up with private lessons and you'd have to continue to pay for his spot on the comp. team of he'd lose it.

*or

Anonymous wrote:MY DS 10 took off 6 weeks in the summer for travel and sleep away camp and he's fine. He started up last week and he is happy to be back. No big deal at all.

At my daughter's facility he'd have to catch up with private lessons and you'd have to continue to pay for his spot on the comp. team of he'd lose it.

Anonymous wrote:My child started on a competitive team this summer. Because we were new, we were hesitant to take too much time away. Now, summer is almost over and we feel like this summer has been a let down. We've done a few quick trips, but we didn't plan any week-long adventures. I know that's on us, but we didn't feel comfortable making that choice this summer.

So, parents with kids in higher levels (4 or above), is summer always all about gymnastics? Is there an off-season when it's OK to take time away? My child loves gymnastics, but I don't want that to be all there is.

And this is the problem I'm having with this concept. It's not that I don't believe young kids CAN be passionate about something. It's that as an adult I know and understand that the world is full of exciting and amazing things, and if a 7 year old is devoting 28 hours a week to one thing, he's not exploring the world and learning about other exciting and amazing things. As a parent, it's my job to make sure my child gets appropriate exposure to the world, and the inside of a gym 20+ hours a week (added to the inside of a classroom 30+ hours a week) doesn't seem like appropriate exposure to me.

MY DS 10 took off 6 weeks in the summer for travel and sleep away camp and he's fine. He started up last week and he is happy to be back. No big deal at all.

Anonymous wrote:My child started on a competitive team this summer. Because we were new, we were hesitant to take too much time away. Now, summer is almost over and we feel like this summer has been a let down. We've done a few quick trips, but we didn't plan any week-long adventures. I know that's on us, but we didn't feel comfortable making that choice this summer.

So, parents with kids in higher levels (4 or above), is summer always all about gymnastics? Is there an off-season when it's OK to take time away? My child loves gymnastics, but I don't want that to be all there is.

My 7 yr old kid is on a competitive team training 9 hrs a week. They had spring break off but there was not a summer break. Some people did pull their kids out for a week for a vacation tho.

My child started on a competitive team this summer. Because we were new, we were hesitant to take too much time away. Now, summer is almost over and we feel like this summer has been a let down. We've done a few quick trips, but we didn't plan any week-long adventures. I know that's on us, but we didn't feel comfortable making that choice this summer.

So, parents with kids in higher levels (4 or above), is summer always all about gymnastics? Is there an off-season when it's OK to take time away? My child loves gymnastics, but I don't want that to be all there is.

Anonymous wrote:

You honestly think going to gymnastics for 4hrs a day in your childhood is the same as today? The pressures of college, grades, homework, pushy parents wanting perfect kids and eyes on the prize of a scholarship. No parent invests in 4hrs a day, 28hrs a week because a kid enjoys it and wants to go nowhere with it. The coaches, trainers, etc... must be elite and top notch. Perfection.

I'm not really sure I'm following you here, because if anything the reverse is true. I don't really have to imagine anything though because I'm a full time gymnastics coach. I know exactly how it all works. Also, I grew up in the 90s and was part of the first generation of helicopter parents anyway. I have a degree from a top tier university, and I'm still a gymnastics coach.

Which leads us to today. Because so many people want their kids to participate in gymnastics teams (not because they are going to the Olympics,mouth because the parents want the kids to have something they enjoy and are pretty good at, and are willing to invest), USA Gymnastics created an entirely different competitive track that is basically more flexible as far as the skills and physical attributes required (we have touched on this in the thread, Xcel. No, I don't know why they chose to mispell it except that is the name they wanted and Microsoft Excel is trademarked or something). Anyway. I don't coach this track, I coach a "more elite" track as you might say. But it still exists.

I assure you there are legions of kids across this country that practice four hours at a time and are basically going nowhere with it. Welcome to my life, every day.

That said, the children enjoy the challenge of progressing through the levels and I happen to think the physical abilities and life lessons about perseverance are worth it at every level. So, I guess if you only consider the Olympics to be worth it, it's not worth it. Most reasonable people don't think that.

Obviously, I am mostly posting for the benefit of those who actually want to learn about gymnastics, I'm under no illusion that your posts are serious. I suppose it furthers the discussion though which is nice.

Anonymous wrote:
You honestly think going to gymnastics for 4hrs a day in your childhood is the same as today? The pressures of college, grades, homework, pushy parents wanting perfect kids and eyes on the prize of a scholarship. No parent invests in 4hrs a day, 28hrs a week because a kid enjoys it and wants to go nowhere with it. The coaches, trainers, etc... must be elite and top notch. Perfection.

Not PP. I have a kid (now 11) who is passionate about his chosen activity. He probably spends 25 hours a week on it total. From my end, when we do occasionally have trips associated with his activity, I find I really enjoy the time together. There is a unique joy in watching somebody who is passionate about an activity do that activity.

I have no expectation that this time will get him anything other than enjoyment. He's not going to college on a scholarship, not going to do this professionally, in fact not going to get anything out of it other than personal happiness. It keeps him disciplined and organized (schoolwork and chores have to be done on time and diligently as a requirement to continue). He volunteers his time to teach others. It gives him a social outlet outside of school that I really appreciate.

I think some of you really want to believe that kids with passion are being entirely pushed, because you don't understand it and have never had that in your life. I never had the passion for a single activity that drove me the way my DS is internally driven, so I understand the skepticism, but try to open your minds a little. There are plenty of kids out there who devote themselves to one thing and the parents don't have expectations of college glory.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think what gives some people pause, and I admit I can fall into this camp, is often with the gymnastics threads, if you have no experience with it (I don't beyond some middle school tumbling classes) its hard to wrap your mind around how YOUNG the deep commitment needs to start in order to become even remotely competitive.

yes, around here it seems like all sports are like that..........but the reality is that for many team sports, no you are no where near your peak at 14,15, even 16. If you are intensely in those sports, the commitment is high but it can be something that starts a little later if you have a talent. Whereas in gymnastics it seem as if you have a talent for it you need to start that commitment at 8 or 9. So I think the age of the kids makes some of us gun shy a bit compared to other competitive activities.

Just my observation.

I think this is definitely part of it. At the age of 5 or 6, I call complete and total "boshi" on the "my kid has a deep and abiding passion for gymnastics" (or anything at all) 5 and 6 year olds should still be exploring the world! If you are devoting 12 hours a week to something at the age of 6, you are significantly limiting your exposure to lots of other things - and those other things may be things that you would be just as - if not more - passionate about. There is absolutely a huge opportunity cost here.

I have no doubt that there is the very rare savant who is totally and completely amazing and passionate about gymnastics (or violin or dance or whatever) in early elementary school. But those kids are extraordinarily outside the norm and are few and far between - there are certainly not enough of them to be filling up gym upon gym of "passionate and talented" 1st graders, which is what we seem to have in the area.

My daughter is 6 turning 7 and she lives, eats, sleeps and breathes upside-down, bent in half. The passion is there and its not coming from my husband or I.
Neither of us ever participated in or cared for the sport.
Also, I have no idea what you're talking about gym upon gym filled with passionate and talented 1st graders. There are popular recreational programs that are very low commitment and a bit of good exercise for 1.5 hours once a week. The competitive program is quite small in my daughter's large gymnastics facility. There are only seven children in her age group training 9 hours a week and they all had to try out and earn it.

Not the PP but I just googled gymnastics studios and 17 popped up in a 5 mile radius. There is an obvious need for parents that want to $$$$

The masses that make up these facilities are not the elite athletes. They are recreational students getting some exercise for around an 1.5 hrs a week. The elite programs are much smaller. At least in my experience anyway

Anonymous wrote:Whoops, I meant 15 miles.

Guess it's different everywhere. We have 2 facilities in my area

Whoops, I meant 15 miles.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think what gives some people pause, and I admit I can fall into this camp, is often with the gymnastics threads, if you have no experience with it (I don't beyond some middle school tumbling classes) its hard to wrap your mind around how YOUNG the deep commitment needs to start in order to become even remotely competitive.

yes, around here it seems like all sports are like that..........but the reality is that for many team sports, no you are no where near your peak at 14,15, even 16. If you are intensely in those sports, the commitment is high but it can be something that starts a little later if you have a talent. Whereas in gymnastics it seem as if you have a talent for it you need to start that commitment at 8 or 9. So I think the age of the kids makes some of us gun shy a bit compared to other competitive activities.

Just my observation.

I think this is definitely part of it. At the age of 5 or 6, I call complete and total "boshi" on the "my kid has a deep and abiding passion for gymnastics" (or anything at all) 5 and 6 year olds should still be exploring the world! If you are devoting 12 hours a week to something at the age of 6, you are significantly limiting your exposure to lots of other things - and those other things may be things that you would be just as - if not more - passionate about. There is absolutely a huge opportunity cost here.

I have no doubt that there is the very rare savant who is totally and completely amazing and passionate about gymnastics (or violin or dance or whatever) in early elementary school. But those kids are extraordinarily outside the norm and are few and far between - there are certainly not enough of them to be filling up gym upon gym of "passionate and talented" 1st graders, which is what we seem to have in the area.

My daughter is 6 turning 7 and she lives, eats, sleeps and breathes upside-down, bent in half. The passion is there and its not coming from my husband or I.
Neither of us ever participated in or cared for the sport.
Also, I have no idea what you're talking about gym upon gym filled with passionate and talented 1st graders. There are popular recreational programs that are very low commitment and a bit of good exercise for 1.5 hours once a week. The competitive program is quite small in my daughter's large gymnastics facility. There are only seven children in her age group training 9 hours a week and they all had to try out and earn it.

Not the PP but I just googled gymnastics studios and 17 popped up in a 5 mile radius. There is an obvious need for parents that want to $$$$

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't mean to hijack, but I'm seriously asking those of you (especially females) who did gymnastics for hours growing up if it caused your height growth to be limited. I had a doctor friend tell me that the excessive amount of training (beyond recreational) would cause height to be stunted with young children. I'm wondering because I have a 6 year old daughter who really likes gymnastics - my husband and I can't seem to agree on how much is excessive. Thank you!

No. I'm not tall. No one in my family is tall. I'm taller than my mother and both grandmothers, and about the same as my sisters, so I doubt I was naturally intended to be any taller than this. Also, I don't know how that would even happen or work. It doesn't make sense.

But I don't really want to be any taller than I am, so I don't really care if it did. I don't have any ongoing problems. I'm a completely normal adult. And I really did love gymnastics as young as 5-6. When I was 3 years old my mom showed me gymnastics on TV and I insisted to her I would do that someday. I have a very distinct memory of seeing it, and feeling very strongly about it. I begged to go to gymnastics all the time, my parents couldn't have cared less and practically begged me to quit.

So, speak for yourself if you didn't love an activity at a young age, but it is possible.

So you wanted something that your parents didn't want to drop everything ever day of their lives to accommodate you? What an awful childhood you must have had. And by nature, if you want something and can't have it, you want it even more. Who is to say, they okayed 4hrs of practice a day and spent thousands of dollars only to see you quit after one year. Because I see that scenario play out a lot more than a kids desire to practice one sport hours every day and parents don't accommodate.

Um. Not sure you understood my post. Or I don't understand yours. I did high level competitive gymnastics. Didn't quit either until adulthood. I suppose that was somewhat unclear in the second part but I assumed the first part of my post insinuated that I was a gymnast. I wanted to do it and I did do it. I'm very grateful to my parents but I also don't think they dropped everything every day of their lives, exactly. I had a carpool and my parents didn't attend practices. It's basically like 4 hours of daycare at that point.

Anyway, I have no regrets, and no problems.

I don't really think that one has to be Olympic bound or a potential D1 superstar to be on a gymnastics team and make that kind of commitment though, they just have to love gymnastics and want to be a gymnast (and be able to learn the skills for the level they want to compete). There are a lot of different levels and several different competitive tracks. I certainly was never Olympic bound but I'm really glad that I did gymnastics and never quit.

You honestly think going to gymnastics for 4hrs a day in your childhood is the same as today? The pressures of college, grades, homework, pushy parents wanting perfect kids and eyes on the prize of a scholarship. No parent invests in 4hrs a day, 28hrs a week because a kid enjoys it and wants to go nowhere with it. The coaches, trainers, etc... must be elite and top notch. Perfection.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't mean to hijack, but I'm seriously asking those of you (especially females) who did gymnastics for hours growing up if it caused your height growth to be limited. I had a doctor friend tell me that the excessive amount of training (beyond recreational) would cause height to be stunted with young children. I'm wondering because I have a 6 year old daughter who really likes gymnastics - my husband and I can't seem to agree on how much is excessive. Thank you!

No. I'm not tall. No one in my family is tall. I'm taller than my mother and both grandmothers, and about the same as my sisters, so I doubt I was naturally intended to be any taller than this. Also, I don't know how that would even happen or work. It doesn't make sense.

But I don't really want to be any taller than I am, so I don't really care if it did. I don't have any ongoing problems. I'm a completely normal adult. And I really did love gymnastics as young as 5-6. When I was 3 years old my mom showed me gymnastics on TV and I insisted to her I would do that someday. I have a very distinct memory of seeing it, and feeling very strongly about it. I begged to go to gymnastics all the time, my parents couldn't have cared less and practically begged me to quit.

So, speak for yourself if you didn't love an activity at a young age, but it is possible.

So you wanted something that your parents didn't want to drop everything ever day of their lives to accommodate you? What an awful childhood you must have had. And by nature, if you want something and can't have it, you want it even more. Who is to say, they okayed 4hrs of practice a day and spent thousands of dollars only to see you quit after one year. Because I see that scenario play out a lot more than a kids desire to practice one sport hours every day and parents don't accommodate.

Um. Not sure you understood my post. Or I don't understand yours. I did high level competitive gymnastics. Didn't quit either until adulthood. I suppose that was somewhat unclear in the second part but I assumed the first part of my post insinuated that I was a gymnast. I wanted to do it and I did do it. I'm very grateful to my parents but I also don't think they dropped everything every day of their lives, exactly. I had a carpool and my parents didn't attend practices. It's basically like 4 hours of daycare at that point.

Anyway, I have no regrets, and no problems.

I don't really think that one has to be Olympic bound or a potential D1 superstar to be on a gymnastics team and make that kind of commitment though, they just have to love gymnastics and want to be a gymnast (and be able to learn the skills for the level they want to compete). There are a lot of different levels and several different competitive tracks. I certainly was never Olympic bound but I'm really glad that I did gymnastics and never quit.